Cauliflower Cheese

Cauliflower cheese is a classic Irish or English side dish which is usually served to accompany a roasted chicken or beef dinner. It’s also a perfect side for turkey dinner at Thanksgiving or Christmas.

This side is simple yet delicious. One of our family favorites, often served for Sunday lunch or dinner, this is an extremely easy side dish to prepare.

I love to pop this cheesy cauliflower dish into the oven once the roast has been cooked and has been taken out of the oven to rest.

Ingredients for Cauliflower Cheese Casserole:

Here’s a quick list of what you’ll need. Check the printable recipe below for exact quantities in either US or Metric equivalents.

cauliflower broken into florets.

salted butter

all-purpose flour

whole milk

dijon mustard

mature cheddar cheese grated (sharp cheddar cheese)

salt and pepper to season

Directions for Cauliflower Cheese:

Before you get started preheat the oven to 375 F. I usually cook this side dish to accompany a roast chicken or beef, so my oven is usually already hot and ready to go.

Wash the cauliflower florets. Place in a large saucepan of salted water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until the cauliflower is slightly tender but not fully cooked. Drain the cauliflower and set aside.

I usually steam the cauliflower rather than boiling it.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and stir to form a roux. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute stirring constantly so that the roux does not stick.

Remove the pan from the heat, and add a little of the milk, whisking all the time. Gradually add the milk whisking well with each addition to form a smooth sauce.

Return to the heat and bring to a simmer stirring constantly. Cook for 2 minutes whisking continuously to avoid burning.

Add the mustard and two-thirds of the cheese. Stir to combine and melt the cheese.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. I often find there’s no need to add extra salt because of the intensity of the cheddar cheese flavor.

Set the sauce aside.

Butter an oven-proof baking dish and then arrange the half-cooked cauliflower florets in the dish.

Completely cover the cauliflower with the cheese sauce. Sprinkle the top with the remainder of the cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.

And there you have it – one of my all time favorite vegetable sides. This is comfort food at its finest, and the tastiest way I know to serve cauliflower.

I recommend using a sharp cheddar cheese for the sauce to give the dish a tangy flavor. Of course, I’m biased being Irish, but I love to use Dubliner Irish cheddar in this dish. I find Irish cheddar to be far sharper than any American variety I have ever found.

Here’s the printable recipe:

Cauliflower Cheese

Steamed cauliflower is smothered in a creamy cheese sauce for this classic Irish side dish.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Wash the cauliflower florets. Place in a large saucepan of salted water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until the cauliflower is slightly tender but not fully cooked. Drain the cauliflower and set aside.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and stir to form a roux. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute stirring constantly so that the roux does not stick.

Remove the pan from the heat, and add a little of the milk, whisking all the time. Gradually add the milk whisking well with each addition to form a smooth sauce.

Return to the heat and bring to a simmer stirring constantly. Cook for 2 minutes whisking continuously to avoid burning.

Add the mustard and two-thirds of the cheese. Stir to combine and melt the cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set the sauce aside.

Butter an oven-proof baking dish and then arrange the half-cooked cauliflower florets in the dish.

Completely cover the cauliflower with the cheese sauce. Sprinkle the top with the remainder of the grated cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.

Nutrition Facts

Cauliflower Cheese

Amount Per Serving (260 g)

Calories 166Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Cholesterol 35mg12%

Sodium 226mg10%

Potassium 299mg9%

Carbohydrates 8g3%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 405IU8%

Vitamin C 35mg42%

Calcium 180mg18%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.

I haven’t eaten this in years and just reading it is making my mouth water. I’m not a huge fan of cauli on its own but it really is delicious in a cheese sauce. Thanks Mairead, cauli is going on my shopping list for tomorrow! Cheers, Lorna

Hi Lorna – This recipe is definitely an oldie but a goodie. It reminds me of Sunday roast dinners all through my childhood. This kind of comfort food is my favorite during the winter months. All the best, Mairéad

So happy to have found your wonderful blog! My name is Debbie and about a month ago, thanks to one of my brother’s having done a secret Ancestry DNA test, my siblings and I found out we were 46 percent Irish and 23 percent Great Britain along with about 13 % Scandinavian! This might not seem strange to most but to me and my siblings it was the shock of our lives! You see, we were raised to believe that we had strong native American heritage and had always been told our Great Grandmother was full-blooded Cherokee Indian. Not only that but we look the part, dark hair, eyes and skin. To say we were shocked is an understatement and since our parents, aunts and uncles are all passed there is no one to ask. We would have questioned these findings but a cousin did the same test and was matched to us as a close relative and she received pretty much the same result, no native American heritage. It was a little sad realizing the truth of the situation but then I realized why I had always loved Ireland and had such strong desires to visit. I even have a Pinterest board dedicated to Ireland and one dedicated to plaid of all things and my favorite John Wayne movie is “The Quite Man!” It’s just amazing that even though I am 57 years old and have just found out about my strong Irish blood line that my longing for Ireland is in my DNA as is the case with many of my family members. So, while looking online to look for Irish blessings to send to family and friends on FB for the New Year I came across your sweet blog and I intend to come back many times. Oh, I have traded in my Indian feathers for a Shamrock! hehehehe Blessings! Debbie

Hi Debbie – Welcome to my little Irish corner of the world wide web. I’m so glad you found my blog on your search for Irish blessings today. And thank you for sharing the story of your ancestral research and DNA testing. Science is simply amazing. It seems you are genetically predisposed to liking all things Irish. I have read that in parts of the mid-west the Irish often settled close to the Cherokee people. They found they had a lot in common with native Americans, even more than they had in common with settlers from other countries. Both the Cherokee and the Irish believed in the Little People or fairies, and they had a deep seated respect for nature. This is a topic I would love to research more someday. Anyway, thank you for stopping by and checking out my recipes and ramblings. Please stop by whenever you feel like connecting with your Irish side. A very happy and prosperous New Year to you and yours. Mairéad

Thank you so much for the info about the Irish and the Cherokee friendship. It’s so very interesting and I would love to know more about the subject! It’s a cold day here in Southern Indiana and we actually have some snow on the ground so I’m sitting comfortably on my sofa with a throw over me watching TV and enjoying your wonderful blog hoping to gain more insight into my heritage. The pictures are absolutely beautiful and I feel so connected to this beautiful country and now I know why! I forgot to say in my earlier comment that my husband and I bought our home that we still live in in 1980. I was attracted to it from the minute I saw it because it’s made entirely of stone and I call it our little cottage. We have a climbing rose bush that grows up the front of our home and by our stone walkway. I guess you can take the girl out of Ireland but you can’t take Ireland out of the girl! Keep the wonderful posts coming!

Hi Debbie – Your affinity for stone is definitely an Irish thing. It’s in our DNA. I have so many blog posts spinning around in my head that I need to sit down and write. One is all about the stone walls of Ireland, and another is about the stones walls found around the Lexington area in Kentucky. Apparently they were built by Irish immigrants. I also need to write about Ireland’s “thin places” which are usually ancient stone monuments where visitors feel a deep connection to the past. So many topics – I better get writing. Thanks so much for reading along and for your lovely words of support. Looking forward to our Irish American journey in the coming year. All the best, Mairéad

Hi Lynette – A sharp cheddar cheese is what you need. In Ireland we tend to call it mature cheddar rather than sharp. I like to use the sharpest, tangiest cheddar I can find for this recipe. Thanks for stopping by to check out this recipe. All the best, Mairéad

Hi Ruth – I’ve never tried freezing this recipe. I’m not sure if the cheese sauce would fare well in the freezer – it might separate a little. Thanks so much for checking out my recipe. All the best, Mairéad